DSP SOLUTIONS

HD Video Processor Can Halve Power Requirements

The new TMS320DM355 from Texas Instruments Incorporated is a low-cost digital media processor that provides High Definition (HD) video performance with half the power consumption of competing products. The device is tuned for use in appliances such as digital cameras, IP video cameras, digital photo frames and video baby monitors.



The chip integrates a video processing subsystem, an MPEG-4-JPEG Co-Processor (MJCP), an ARM926EJ-S core and peripherals. It will also find applications in medical imaging, ultra low-cost digital video recorders and portable test equipment.

The processor is available in clock speeds of up to 216MHz or 270MHz, allowing designers to create a scalable line of products. The MJCP provides the equivalent of 400MHz of digital signal processing (DSP), enabling HD MPEG-4 SP encode or decode at 720p and 30 frames per second and JPEG encode or decode at 50 MegaPixels per second. The MJCP uses production-qualified HD MPEG-4 and JPEG codecs, so that users do not need to pay additional licensing fees or royalties.

Like other DaVinci™ devices, the DM355 video processing subsystem integrates a preview engine, histogram, resizer and on-screen display, all in hardware. Video processing subsystem tasks equate to approximately 240MHz of DSP.

In addition to its video processing capabilities, the DM355 provides up to 270MHz of ARM performance, for product differentiation. It also includes high speed USB 2.0 On-The-Go (OTG), a 10-bit digital/analogue converter and video encoder. The device consumes power of approximately 400mW during HD MPEG-4 encoding and only 1mW on standby.

The TMS320DM355 is supported by a complete suite of development tools, including the DM355 Digital Video EValuation Module (DVEVM). The DVEVM includes optimised MontaVista Linux, a boot loader, and drivers for the complete peripheral set.

The processor and DVEVM take advantage of all the tools and support included in the DaVinci technology portfolio to help engineers save months of development time. Developers can re-use Intellectual Property (IP) from the robust DaVinci technology portfolio or use IP from the vast open-source resources for ARM-based processing.

The Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) common across DaVinci offerings also mean that designers familiar with DaVinci technology or ARM development can quickly develop products.

Features

• Low-cost, low-power digital media processor optimised for HD video
• Integrated ARM9, video subsystem and MPEG-4-JPEG Co-Processor (MJCP) units
• 216MHz or 270MHz operating frequency
• HD MPEG-4 SP encode or decode at 720p, 30 frames ps
• JPEG encode or decode at 50 MegaPixels ps
• Codecs included royalty free
• External memory interface supporting asynchronous SRAM; mDDR, DDR2 SDRAM; OneNAND; NAND Flash; SmartMedia/xD
• 64-channel enhanced DMA
• Configurable video port with one dedicated output, one dedicated input
• Hardware resizer, OSD, previewer, H3A
• USB 2.0 HS/OTG
• Operating temperature range 0°C to +85°C

Applications

• Digital cameras
• IP video cameras
• Digital photo frames
• Video baby monitors
• Medical imaging
• Ultra low-cost digital video recorders
• Portable test equipment.

For further information, including a copy of the DaVinci Technology Overview or Style Guide, or the TMS320DM355 Datasheet, please click here